Evidence of meeting #34 for Finance in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was saskatchewan.
A video is available from Parliament.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Ron Liepert
Excuse me. Because the bells are now ringing, we need to get consent from the committee to continue.
Do I have consent from the committee to continue?
5:30 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Robert-Falcon Ouellette Liberal Winnipeg Centre, MB
I was just wondering how many of those jobs were long-term jobs.
5:30 p.m.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Manitoba Region, Department of Western Economic Diversification
Our understanding is that these are long-term jobs, but they're sustained by other things as well. We have 46% of the Métis living in Winnipeg as well, and that represents 6.5% of the population.
Our CDEM, our Centre de développement économique, helps them create jobs as well. There are long-term jobs.
Also, when I think of WD, we do investment, but we also do convening. We do some of that through Vision Quests, and those help to sustain those communities.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Robert-Falcon Ouellette Liberal Winnipeg Centre, MB
Do you go into smaller communities to inform them of the opportunities with the western development agency?
5:30 p.m.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Manitoba Region, Department of Western Economic Diversification
Yes, we do. We work through our Community Futures corporation and our Francophone Economic Development Organizations to go into those communities and inform of the program. We also do—
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Robert-Falcon Ouellette Liberal Winnipeg Centre, MB
Okay. The funny thing is that I often meet individuals who have started a business on their own and have no idea that any of these services exist. They don't know that the BDC exists. They don't know that the western development agency exists and that they could get a loan to get an ice cream machine in order to start a restaurant or a bakery in their own community. They do it by themselves. They start off very small, but they could move faster and easier. I just wonder what exactly it is you do to tell people that you exist.
5:30 p.m.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Manitoba Region, Department of Western Economic Diversification
First of all, every time we do a launch of a program—for example, our western innovation program—we do an outreach email to all our network partners, and they do communicate that through the whole Manitoba region. We also work with all the non-profit associations to spread the message that the programming is available, and—
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
Robert-Falcon Ouellette Liberal Winnipeg Centre, MB
I was talking to the CRA. I was wondering what type of programming they do for taxation. They actually have a new program and are going into the communities and doing presentations. They fly into a number of the communities throughout the year. By themselves, really, they ensure that people have this information and know how to fill out their taxes. Obviously, sometimes they get a good response and sometimes they don't, but they don't leave it up to others to do that.
I'm just suggesting—it's not a reproach or anything like that—that I think there are other examples of great things that are being done in the federal government that could be done by you as well in order to increase that impact and the ability to make a change in people's lives.
Anyway, I know my time is probably up now.
5:35 p.m.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Manitoba Region, Department of Western Economic Diversification
They're very good points. In terms of leaving it to others, our network partners are funded by WD, but we do provide information sessions as well. With our Community Futures corporation, our officers go into the communities and talk about our programs and services as well. I agree that the face-to-face, on-the-ground presence is the most effective one. In WD, that's where we try to have the most impact. There is absolutely always more to do, and we try to have as much of an impact as possible.
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
September 21st, 2016 / 5:35 p.m.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
Thank you very much for this presentation.
First of all, how much of an operating budget do you get?
5:35 p.m.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Manitoba Region, Department of Western Economic Diversification
Do you mean for the department?
5:35 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Strategic Direction (Ottawa), Department of Western Economic Diversification
It depends. If you separate out the special programs on infrastructure that we're asked to deliver, our core budget is about $127 million a year.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
Okay. The exports represent about 25% of the total GDP. Most of that, about 70%, goes to the United States, with the rest going to India and China, so you are dependent mostly on exports. You mentioned that you're not fully satisfied with interprovincial trade and you'd like that to be increased or improved. How do you see that happening? How is the government going to help you achieve that?
5:35 p.m.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Manitoba Region, Department of Western Economic Diversification
I think one of the first steps is that the Province of Manitoba has just joined the New West Partnership, so I think that will absolutely help with some of the challenges we have interprovincially. That's an area in which there could be real improvement.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
You are the Canadian province that is least dependent on the resource sector, which is good news given the volatility of the markets right now. How much were you affected by the downturn in the oil sector and the energy sector at large?
5:35 p.m.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Manitoba Region, Department of Western Economic Diversification
Actually, Manitoba was not very negatively affected by the downturn in the oil sector. We were affected a little in the southwest of the province, but that hasn't had a huge impact, which is the positive thing about having such a diversified economy.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB
What other sectors of the economy do you think could improve your position on trade and bring in more revenue to your province?
5:35 p.m.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Manitoba Region, Department of Western Economic Diversification
Agriculture certainly could. That would help improve trade.
Of course, Manitoba is known for our aerospace and manufacturing sector. That's huge. It contributes $1.5 billion to the Canadian economy, and it creates 5,000 jobs in Manitoba, very good jobs.
Certainly, I'd say those are what come to mind as the biggest sectors.
